Postdoctoral researcher for the project ‘The impact of climate change on stress, anxiety, and somatic complaints’

The Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology (MCP) at Tilburg University is seeking an enthusiastic and highly motivated postdoctoral researcher who has experience researching the psychological and physical impact of environmental stressors such as climate change. Both researchers with a more clinically oriented profile (e.g., research with patient groups) and researchers with a more fundamental profile (e.g., laboratory research with physiological measurements) are eligible for this position.

As a postdoc, you will be involved in developing large grant applications (e.g., ERC Starting Grant, NWO Vidi) on the influence of climate change and related environmental stressors on various psychological and somatic complaints, including stress, anxiety, pain, and itch. This work supports the "Stress, Pain, and Anxiety Research (SPARC)" research line of the MCP department. More specifically, your responsibilities will include developing components of the grant applications, designing pilot studies, and conducting systematic literature reviews. You will also be involved in other ongoing SPARC research line projects, such as writing an overarching review article.

Your duties will include:

• Conducting literature reviews in the area of biopsychosocial determinants and consequences of climate change;
• (Co-)developing grant proposals and scientific articles;
• Collecting pilot data and/or analyzing existing datasets;
• Establishing and maintaining contacts with national and international researchers in the relevant field;
• Supervising research assistants and, where applicable, PhD candidates;
• Participating in meetings of the project research group and departmental meetings, and being actively engaged within the department;
• Being part of a group that mutually strengthens one another in conducting scientific research in the area of stress, pain, and anxiety (team science);
• Making a limited contribution to teaching within the Department (up to a maximum of 10%) is possible;
• Adhering to the principles of open science and team science.

• You hold a PhD in (medical, clinical, social, or cognitive) psychology, or in a field related to the interface between the behavioral sciences and (mental) well-being;
• Your scientific qualities are evidenced, among other things, by an excellent doctoral dissertation and publications in leading international scientific journals;
• You have an interest in, and preferably also experience with, scientific research on climate stress, climate anxiety, and/or climate change;
• Knowledge of and experience in the area of psychophysiology, programming (e.g., in Inquisit), or complex data analysis is preferred, but not required;
• Experiencing with applying for large grant is a plus, but not required;
• You work proactively and independently, but are also able to collaborate effectively in teams and with external professionals from different disciplines ((inter)national researchers);
• You are a role model of scientific integrity and an advocate of open science;
• You demonstrate perseverance and a strong sense of responsibility. In addition, you are conscientious, ambitious, and flexible, and able to function well under time pressure;
• You possess strong analytical skills and have experience with statistical software such as SPSS, SAS, JASP, or R;
• You have excellent oral and written communication skills in both Dutch and English;
• You have excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills;

This is a full-time position (1.0 FTE; 40 hours per week) for a period of 18 months.

Tilburg University offers excellent employment conditions, with attention to flexibility and (personal) development, as well as attractive secondary benefits.

The salary, depending on experience, ranges from € 4.728 to € 6.433 gross per month for a full-time appointment, based on the UFO profile Researcher 3 and salary scale 11 of the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. Tilburg University applies a neutral remuneration system for job classification that is based on relevant work experience.

You are entitled to a holiday allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3% of your gross annual income. With a 40-hour working week, you will receive 41 days of annual leave.

All university employees are covered by the ABP pension fund.

We make clear agreements about career paths and offer a wide range of facilities and schemes to support an optimal work-life balance. You will also have access to a broad selection of training opportunities, for example in leadership skills, personal effectiveness, and career development.

Tilburg University values an open and inclusive culture. We embrace diversity and encourage integration among staff and students. We strive to create equal opportunities for all employees and students, ensuring that everyone feels at home within our academic community.

Tilburg University has a vibrant campus in a beautiful green environment that is easily accessible by public transport. We are committed to a sustainable society and invite you to make an active contribution to this mission.

Please visit Working at Tilburg University for more information about our employment conditions.

Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (TSB) is a modern, specialized university. The teaching and research of the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences are organized around the themes of Adaptive societies, organizations, and workers, Healthy life span, Personalized prevention and care. The School's inspiring working environment challenges its workers to realize their ambitions; involvement and cooperation are essential to achieve this.

Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences

For more information, please contact g.mertens@tilburguniveristy.edu, k.vanschie@tilburguniversity.edu, or s.h.meeuwis@tilburguniversity.edu.

More information about the department of Medical and Clinical Psychology is available (in Dutch only) at: https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/about/schools/socialsciences/organization/departments/medical-and-clinical-psychology